The Relief of 'Peiper' - December 21, 1944 - December 22, 1944

Historical Background:
Ordered to move to the relief of Kampfgruppe 'Peiper', Max Hansen on December 21st started probing with his battlegroup between Trois-Ponts and Grand-Halleux. The 505th Parachute Regiment had established a defensive front to defend or blow the bridges along this four-mile section behind the River Salm. Hansen's attack at Trois-Ponts overran the allied companies positioned on the East Side of the river. A withdrawal of survivors was ordered and although the German grenadiers made it to the bridge they were thrown back by fire from the antitank gun and the buildings. To the south, a strong defense at La Neuville slowed the advance of German tanks and infantry. Just as the German forces overcame the defenders in La Neuville the battalion blew the bridge. The advanced had stalled and Allied Artillery forced the German troops to withdraw.

On the 22nd, Panzergrenadiers fought a desperate battle for control of the Grand-Halleux bridges. The paras blew one bridge while Germans were in the middle of it and the rest of the German force in the area fell back. There were no further attacks on the 505th sector.

The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.

Briefing:
Axis Player
[Germany]
Take 4 Command cards.
You move first.

Allied Player
[United States]
Take 5 Command cards.

Conditions of Victory:
6 Medals.

The entire Allied baseline counts as Exit hexes for the Axis player.

Special Rules:
Winter Combat (Actions 25 - Combat Cards) and Winter Weather (Actions 26 - Winter Weather) rules are in effect.

For the Allied forces Blowing Up Bridges Option 1 is in effect (Actions 2 - Blowing Up Bridges). The Allied player may blow up to 2 bridges.

All Allied and Axis infantry units are elite units (Troops 2 - Specialized Units).

Place a badge on the US engineer unit (Troops 4 - Combat Engineers).

The river is frozen but impassable.

Scenario Bibliography:
BADGES
Combat engineers

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